Hundreds flocked to Pioneer Evergreen Farms to embrace holiday cheer at Explore Schuylkill’s third annual holiday event.
Childish laughter filled the air around the various family-oriented activities offered at the Orwigsburg area Christmas tree farm.
Families could get pictures with Santa, see seasonal wildlife, get wintry face paintings, take a horse-drawn carriage ride and roast s’mores or sip hot cocoa. Adults could pay the King Cole Winery tent a visit.
Each year, the operation grows interest, Explore Schuylkill CEO Regina Gargano said, noting that organizers were expecting hundreds of visitors.
Allie and Jeremy Hoke brought their son, Sullivan, and niece, Hannah Raring, with their grandfather, Carl Raring, for the second year in a row.
Originally from Pottsville but now living in Chambersburg, Allie said they always visit Carl for the holiday weekends.
Jeremy called such events a good way to kick off the holiday season alongside family, with Allie adding that it’s well thought out for the children in attendance.
“It’s just nice knowing that we can come home and not only see family, but then also look forward to a great event that we know that the kids will love,” Allie said. “And when they’re having fun, we’re having fun.”
The most fun part?
Petting the Christmas donkeys — for Hannah, at least.
Dominic and Matilda, Christmas donkeys from Fred’s Farm of Misfits, apparently enjoy the event too, according to nonprofit director Lori Sulouff.
“We love it, we love taking them places,” Sulouff said. “ … They love it. They love the attention.”
With continued success and appreciation from visitors and vendors, Gargano called the event “something you would think could be in a community for 50 years.”
She hopes to see it grow to that point, especially because she considers the event a yearly show of gratitude to the community.
“We’re not in the business of having events, but we wanted something that was like a family celebration at the end of the year,” Gargano said. “Just to say thank you to our community, for having such a great community.”
Similar efforts were underway in Pottsville later in the day.
The Pottsville Recreation Commission hosted the first-ever North Pole Carnival at Discovery Park from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Families could indulge in hot chocolate and sweet treats after completing several child-oriented activities like a reindeer ring toss or penguin bowling.
The first 100 children to finish all seven activities received a goodie bag and a raffle ticket. Adults also received a raffle ticket for a separate drawing.
The carnival comes after several years of dwindling attendance at the annual Mayor’s Christmas Party, commission director Noralea Matz said.
With that in mind, Matz said the event intentionally occurred during the Small Business Saturday event just several feet away at the Pottsville Free Public Library.
Matz said she hoped to bring a crowd to benefit both events.
“If parents bring their children down here, then they’d continue to go shopping,” she said.
Just 20 minutes into the event, a sizable crowd waited in line for face painting — which ultimately grew to around 100 people who attended, including 82 children.
Jessica Miller and her son, Zackary Johnson, joined the early bird crowd before the event started. Miller said the pair have a busy holiday schedule ahead of them, adding that they plan to eat breakfast with the Grinch next week.
“My little guy Zackary brought me here,” Miller said. “I like watching him enjoy himself.”
Sisters Brianna Holder and Jasmine Easter brought their children from Holder’s Minersville home.
Holder said her son Nicholas enjoyed penguin bowling the most.
“I’m really into the Christmas spirit and anything with children that’s fun,” Holder said.
Both said they would return next year and recommend that other families follow suit.
“We’re always looking for events like this,” Easter said. “And I feel like it brings the family together because the kids enjoy things like this.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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